Project by Hanahan, Hu selected for 2026 Digital Transformation Research Corps

Associate Professor Jonathan Hanahan and Assistant Professor Bei Hu are collaborating with Professor Shanttanu Chakrabartty and Associate Professor Chuan Wang in the McKelvey School of Engineering, to develop a haptic-guided driving simulator. The project was selected for the 2026 Digital Transformation Research Corps organized by WashU’s DI2 Accelerator.

This project addresses the challenge of compromised environments such as driving, where visual screens are unavailable or information overload is dangerous. The research explores alternatives to the visual first priority of digital interfaces, investigating how information can be translated through ambient strategies that complement a human’s environment rather than imposing upon it.